What you need to know
- Rumors claim that Samsung is beginning to develop a new 200MP periscope telephoto lens with a 1/1.5-inch sensor.
- While the rumor is void of more details, speculation states this new hardware could arrive on future Galaxy Ultra phones like the S26 Ultra.
- Samsung recently detailed its new ALoP camera technology, which is designed to benefit the future of its telephoto lenses.
Rumors have reportedly surfaced about what Samsung could have in store camera-wise for the future of Ultra model phones.
Prominent Weibo leaker, Digital Chat Station (DCS), posted a claim on the platform stating Samsung is working on a souped-up, high-zoom camera lens (via SamMobile). Rumors claim the Korean OEM is starting to develop a new 1/1.5-inch periscope telephoto sensor at 200MP.
Strangely, the tipster didn’t have any more details to share about the photography capabilities of this camera lens. The publication speculates this new hardware could arrive for future Galaxy S Ultra devices, like the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
While there’s no telling when this 200MP telephoto lens could debut, speculation placing it with the S26 Ultra could fit with several other camera rumors. Old rumors claimed Samsung was working on producing the following larger ISOCELL sensors: 200MP (HP7), 50MP (GN6), and 440MP (HU1). Those rumors also speculated that Samsung was working on another 320MP sensor for its future generation of Ultra models.
Concerning the rumors, the publication notes how two popular Chinese brands have recently opted for 200MP telephoto lenses: Honor and Vivo. Specifically, the Vivo X100 Ultra utilizes a Samsung-made 200MP HP9 telephoto sensor with a 1/1.4-inch lens and 3.7x optical zoom capabilities. So, it seems that Samsung is familiar with such camera strength, but opting for a periscope will offer a little more zoom range.
Additionally, maybe we’ll see this new periscope telephoto upgrade packaged with Samsung’s new ALoP camera tech. The company stated it was developing a new piece of tech called ALoP or All Lenses on Prism, which is designed to deliver a more powerful camera experience while keeping the module slim. With Samsung seemingly more interested in thinner phones, this might be the future we’re looking at.
Samsung stated the tech could accommodate a camera with an f/2.5 aperture on an 80mm lens. So, not only could its zoom increase, but so too could its ability to shoot in darker scenarios at night or indoors.
Whatever the case may be, facing our immediate future is the Galaxy S25 series, which will debut tomorrow, January 22. With only a day to go, check out our ultimate guide to the new series to prepare.